Moving to a new country can be frustrating and exhausting. What was once easy to do and find back home has now become a daily chore to familiarize yourself with your new life in your new host country. With the economy in a downturn, it’s no surprise that more people are seeking out work abroad. Currently, 3% of the world’s population is living outside their home countries.

Rachel Hall

In a recent Financial Times article entitled "Moving Experiences", Paragon Relocation Holland’s own Rachel Hall was asked to offer some perspective to those who have recently relocated or those who are expecting to relocate fairly soon. Some of the key points that Hall addressed in the article were:

No two countries are alike – be prepared for unfamiliarity
Relocating yourself to a new place will have its ups and downs. Remember – don’t get frustrated. “People think they’re going mad when after one month they start getting ‘country’ fatigue,” says Hall. “You go to the post office in your home country and you’re in and out. In a new country you don’t know the system. You’ve brought the wrong bits of paper and it might take you three or four trips before you’ve got your package sent. You feel stupid and frustrated. It’s tiny things happening over and over, which are draining.”

The term “Expatriate” doesn’t just apply to you – realize that the move also affects your family
Leaving your home country may mean a promotion for you, but your spouse or partner now has to find a new job or career in order to follow you. Hall’s advice to those spouses or partners is to "avoid looking for an exact follow-on job; reassess your skills, experience and knowledge and think of them in a broader light."

Is relocation for me? Been approached by your boss about that position in Hong Kong but don’t know if you’re ready to relocate? “Who shouldn’t relocate? Someone who wants their life to stay the same way. Someone who’s not able to deal with change,” Hall says.

To view the original Financial Times article by Simon Kuper, please visit http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/fc3a83f4-ed9c-11dd-bd60-0000779fd2ac.html

Hall, a native from the UK, moved to the Netherlands in 1990 where she worked as a primary school teacher for an International School. After witnessing the frustrations of expatriate families moving to Holland, Rachel decided to forgo teaching and got involved with relocation by developing a relocation program that supported expatriates and their families.

For further information about relocation abroad, please visit paragonrelocation.com